Device for propecting femoral neck

ABSTRACT

A femoral neck protection device comprises a main body disposed with a hollow sleeve; and a flange extended outwardly from the peripheral rim at one end of the sleeve, so that when this protection device is in use, the fractured head of the femur is removed through a surgical operation and a neck of a femur is trimmed to be fitly inserted into the shape of the sleeve of the present invention; the flange of the sleeve tightly affixes to the surface of the femur so as to completely protect the trimmed femoral neck protection device. In addition to the central hole of the sleeve, at least one aperture is disposed on the flange thereon that allows the new-grown blood vessels and callous formation of the femur to pass through the apertures and cover the flange and integrally connect the sleeve and the femur. Furthermore, a protruding neck portion is disposed at the other end of the sleeve; a bolt disposed inside the neck portion passing through the sleeve and being secured to the femur is engaged with an artificial ball head of the femur to allow the hip joint to move freely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] A. Field Of The Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a femoral neck protectiondevice.

[0003] B. Description Of The Prior Art

[0004] In general, the surgical operation for installing an artificialhip joint currently adopted by hospitals usually saws femoral neckfirst, and then inserts a metal femoral stem into a intramedullarycavity and fills the intramedullary cavity with bone cement for thefixation. However, such structure usually creates a change of stressdistribution to the femur and results in an unstable fixation. Further,the newly grown blood vessel and callous formation cannot efficientlycover the metal of the metal femur rod. As a result, the metal femur rodfails to integrally connect with the femur for protecting the femur, andthus may loosen the fractured femur and the covered metal due to thelimited sustaining strength. Such arrangement usually makes a patientsuffer painfully and go through an unnecessary surgical operation againfor repairs, adjustments, or corrections. The aforementionedshortcomings have bothered medical professionals and patients for a longtime.

[0005] To improve the above mentioned shortcomings, the R.O.C. UtilityModel Patent with Publication No. 2318995 published on May 19, 1999disclosed an stemless hip prosthesis, which comprises a modullar head; afemoral neck protection device and a central femoral screw; wherein saidmodullar neck is in a major hemispherical shape, and a concave frustumhole is disposed at an end of the cross section of the external surfaceof the sphere, and said femoral neck protection device is a hollow, andcylindrical femoral neck which has an anatomical collar. There is a holeat the top of the anatomical collar for receiving the insertion of thecorresponding central femoral screw. And the said central femoral screwis a threaded rod being inserted into the hole at the top of the femoralneck protection device. The nail cap and the femoral neck protectiondevice are at the same level and tightly bounded. In the procedure ofclinical tests, many unreasonable points are found, such as that thefemoral neck protection device is a hollow bell-shape and its shape isirregular, therefore it is unable to produce an accessory tool forperforming a specific surgical operation for the irregular femoral neck.As a result, a patient may need another surgical operation due to thefailure of the previous one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide aprotective device in a regular geometric shape that can be connecteddirectly to a trimmed femoral neck, so as to overcome the foregoingexisting shortcomings.

[0007] This invention comprises a main body having a sleeve with ahollow interior. The sleeve is in a regular geometric shape after beingtrimmed and connected to the femoral neck in a regular geometric shape;a flange extended outwardly from a peripheral rim at one end of thesleeve; a protruding neck portion disposed at the other end of thesleeve and facing inwardly; a bolt disposed on the neck portion thatpasses through the neck of the femur inside the sleeve; at least oneaperture disposed on the main body for receiving a fastener fixed ontothe femoral neck; and a modullar head of an femoral neck protectiondevice coupled to the sleeve at an end away from the neck portion forfreely moving the hip joint.

[0008] Since this invention adopts a regular geometric sleeve, thereforethe flange can be attached tightly onto the surface of the femur.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention of thefemoral neck protection device.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention of the femoral neckprotection device

[0011]FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the present invention of thefemoral neck protection device.

[0012]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention of the femoralneck protection device.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention of thefemoral neck protection device.

[0014]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention of thefemoral neck protection device

[0015]FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the connection between thee femoralneck and the present invention of the femoral neck protection device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, present invention of the femoralneck protection device is capable of steadily securing and covering in ageometric shape after being trimmed as well as integrally connected withthe new-grown blood vessels and callous formation. A main body (10) witha hollow sleeve (11) is disposed on the device; a flange (12) in ageometric shape which is slightly arcuate (a triangular flange (12) isadopted in this embodiment) is extended outwardly from a peripheral rimof an end of the sleeve (11). A neck portion (13) is extended from theother end of the sleeve (11) and a bolt (14) as shown in FIG. 6 isinserted into the neck portion (13). A threaded head is disposed at anend of the bolt 14 and a thread is disposed at the other end of the bolt14. Furthermore, at least one aperture (15) is disposed on the main body(10) and sleeved with a fastener (40) as shown in FIG. 4. A bone nail isused as the fastener (40) in this embodiment.

[0017] When the protective device of the present invention is in use asshown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the femoral neck (20) is trimmed in asurgical operation to fit the geometric shape of the sleeve (11), andthen the sleeve (11) of the main body (10) is connected to the femoralneck (20) thereby tightly affixing the flange (12) thereof to thesurface where the femur (30) and the neck of the femur (20) areconnected; the bolt (14) passes through the trimmed femoral neck (20)and connects with the sleeve (11) to be secured onto the femur (30) asshown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Therefore, not only the main body (10) issecurely connected with the trimmed femoral neck, the protection of themain body (10) also allows the femoral neck (20) to grow again. Sincethe sleeve 11 is in a geometric cylindrical shape and made into aspecial-purpose surgical operation tool, therefore the present inventionmakes such surgical operation possible.

[0018] Further, the fastener (40) being passed through the aperture (15)and secured onto the femur (30) reinforces the connection between thefemur (30) and the femur diaphysis (not shown in the Figures) to preventrotations and also prevents the flange (12) of the main body (10) frombeing loosened and separated.

[0019] The aperture (15) disposed on the main body (10) is capable ofallowing the new-grown blood vessels and callous formation to penetratethere through and cover the main body (10) as well as connecting withthe femoral neck (20) and the femur (30) into one unit. Furthermore, anartificial ball head of the femur (50) is disposed on the neck portion(13) at an end away from the sleeve (11) for connecting with the bolt(14) by its internal thread, such that the ball head (50) of the femurallows the hip joint connected to the femur (30) to move freely.

[0020] Of course, the foregoing fastener can be substituted by anycomponent other than the bone nail, and the foregoing sleeve can besubstituted by any geometric shape other than the geometric cylindricalshape, flange can be any shape adjustable to the femoral neck, the bodyof the bolt can come with no threads, and the artificial ball head ofthe femur can be fixed by bolts. It is understood that the embodimentdescribed herein is merely illustrative of the principles of theinvention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may beeffected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

1-9. (canceled).
 10. A device for protecting femoral neck comprising: amain body (10), having a hollow sleeve (11) corresponsive to a trimmedfemoral neck (20). The said sleeve (11) on the rim extends a flange (12)that connects a femur and a femoral neck. At the other end of the rimextends a neck (13). On the top of the said neck (13), a bolt (14) isfixed to penetrate the femur neck in the sleeve (11).
 11. The protectivedevice for neck of femur of claim 10, wherein said flange (12) isdisposed on a substantially curved surface that connects said femur (30)and said femoral neck (20).
 12. The device for protecting femoral neckof claim 11, wherein said flange (12) is disposed on a substantiallytriangular surface that connects said femur (30) and the said femoralneck (20).
 13. The device for protecting femoral neck of claim 10,wherein said bolt (14) at an end comprises a threaded head and athreaded bolt section.
 14. The device for protecting femoral neck ofclaim 10, wherein said main body (10) comprises at least one holethereon (15).
 15. The device for protecting femoral neck of claim 13,wherein said hole (15) receives a fastener being fixed onto said femur(30).
 16. The device for protecting femoral neck of claim 14, whereinsaid fastener (40) is a bone nail.
 17. The device for protecting femoralneck of claim 10, wherein said neck section (13) at an end away fromsaid sleeve (11) comprises an inner thread for passing said sleeveitself and coupling an artificial ball head (50) of said femur neck witha threaded head of said bolt.
 18. The device for protecting femoral neckof claim 13, wherein said neck section (13) at an end away from saidsleeve (11) comprises an inner thread for passing said sleeve itself andcoupling an artificial ball head (50) of said femur neck with a threadedhead of said bolt.